The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 02, 2002
Filed:
Aug. 22, 2000
Kenneth Sugden, Rockford, IL (US);
Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation, Rockford, IL (US);
Abstract
A self-actuating thermal disconnect disengages two coaxially aligned shafts if equipment driven by one of the shafts overheats. The disconnect uses the centrifugal force of a molten material as the principal actuation. The disconnect end of a drive shaft has a means for transmitting torque. A disconnect piston having first and second ends is axially movable in a splined cylinder within the driven shaft. In normal operation, a solid mass of fusible material is disposed in the disconnect piston within a cavity defined by the second end of the disconnect piston and an adjacent end of a cavity piston. A means for transmitting torque at the-first end of the disconnect piston couples with the means for transmitting torque at the first end of the drive shaft. If the driven equipment overheats, the molten fusible material bursts out under centrifugal force through the channels. This action drives the disconnect piston away from the drive shaft, thereby disconnecting the drive shaft from the disconnect piston and hence from the driven shaft. Further, the molten material remains within the disconnect to facilitate cleaning, replacement, and rebuilding.